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The units in ATS represent individual squads, weapons and vehicles. Each hex covers about 50 metres of ground. The scenarios vary in size but around 12 squads per side plus support and leaders, would be a typical fighting force.

There is a growing variety of modules and expansions available in this series, all using the same series rules. To help players get through the systems learning curve, Critical Hit have produced an introductory set, called the Basic Game II set (Streets of Stalingrad). This uses a cut down version of the rules, which are very well edited. Even so, the rules are still quite substantial though not as daunting to a newbie as the full rules.

Critical Hit did an earlier basic game (called 1a) which used just 4 sides of rules. This jump start set has up to the time of writing (Aug 2005) been included in the various ATS modules and they remain useful because they really provide just the basic building blocks of the game.

For my own money, I feel the best way into ATS is to play some games using just the 4 page jump start rules, then progress to Basic Game II and then onto the full modules. It is also a good idea to start off with just the infantry based scenario's since this will mean even less rules to read and less to hold in your head. Once the basics are grasped, the step up to scenarios using armour will be much easier.

Game facts

Solitaire - This is a good two player game but also plays well solitaire. Solitaire play is enhanced because play moves back and forth between both sides as individual units or groups of units are activated alternatively to fire or move (or both). Determining which side moves / fires first in the phase is randomly done, based upon a dice roll.

Game time - This varies depending upon the size of the scenario. You can choose a scenario to match your available gaming time, with games typically taking around 1 - 3 hours to play.

Game size - In this basic game module, the map is a standard 22 x 34 inches. Each player will also need to refer to a couple of play aid cards during play. Quite a few different type of game markers are used, so a small area needs to be set aside for them. The 'average' scenario might typically have around 20 counters per side. The unit counters are attractive and large, with the vehicle counters being over large. They sit very nicely within the super sized hexes of this starter module.

Complexity - Though the basic mechanics of the game are fairly straight forward and once grasped, play is quite smooth, the full ATS game is a substantial system with a steep learning curve. The idea of having a 'basic game' rulebook is a superb help. The rewards of learning the rules are that you can play any of the modules once the series rules are understood. I would say that the system has an initial complexity rating of high and that this drops to the high end of medium once the basic rules are grasped and you have a couple of infantry based games under your belt. Complexity drops to medium with repeated play.

Just to give an idea how things trundle along, I will go through the sequence of play using a totally ficticious action to highlight the system.
It's the start of a game turn and both sides roll for initiative. The Russians win and they decide to take the first activation. A leader is stacked with two squads, they activate as a group and fire at a German medium machine gun (and crew). They inflict 1 casualty point on the crew, forcing the crew to take a morale check, which they pass. A 'fired' marker is placed on the Russian units.
It is now the German players turn to activate. She activates a single squad and moves it 1 hex (by crawling) into a rubbled

location. That squad is marked with a 'moved' counter. Play swings back to the Russian player, who decides to activate a single squad that is carrying a light MG. The order is given for assault movement, which allows the squad to move upto 4 hexes and also to fire (at half strength) at any point in it's movement.
The unit decides to fire before it moves and again the German medium machine gun is the target. The Russian player gets lucky and inflicts another casualty on the German crew. Crews can only absorb 2 casulaties and so this particular crew is removed from play. The Russian unit

uses all 4 of it's movement points to cross 2 hexes littered with debris. With the German MG crew knocked out, the Russian squad is able to move without being fired upon. When it ends its movement, it is marked with a marker.

Play alternates in this fashion until both sides have move / fired markers on all of their units or they pass.

Next is the melee phase. Again sides roll for initiative and the winner chooses who should move first. Players will alternate activations as above, but this time, units can only move 1 hex and may enter an enemy hex. This is call infiltration. Once done, all

close combats (called melee) are fought in each hex that contains units from both sides. Each melee must be fought in a number of sub-rounds until only 1 side remains in the hex (very bloody but decisive).

Once all melee's are fought, players can conduct rally checks on those friendly units that that have broken under fire and that are with a leader.
There are a few admin things to do, but basically the players are now ready to start the next turn and units can once again fire / move or both (by assault moving).